Father accidentally kills son at a Florida firing range but still defends gun ownership

'The gun didn’t kill my boy. I did. Every round in the gun is your responsibility,' says Clayton Brumby

High Noon gun range in Sarasota, Florida where the accidental death occured (Google Maps)

A father who accidentally killed his son at a Florida gun range has defended gun ownership, describing the death as a "freak accident".

Clayton Brumby, 64, was shooting at High Noon gun range in Sarasota with his son Stephen, 14, and two of the teenager's six siblings when the incident occurred.

The gun range had been described by Sarasota Herald Tribune as "one of the safest indoor shooting rangers ever designed".

According to the police report, a hot shell casing was ejected from the gun and landed on Mr Brumby's shirt.

The police statement said: "Brumby then used his right hand, which was holding the handgun, in an attempt to remove the casing.

"While doing so, he inadvertently pointed the firearm directly behind him and accidentally fired."

Stephen's 24-year-old brother and 12-year-old sister were present when he was shot dead.

Mr Brumby said the round hit the ceiling and rebounded to hit his son.

While the investigation continues, Police have confirmed there are no charges pending against him.

Mr Brumby has not denied the police account but has attempted to defend gun ownership.

He told CNN: "The gun didn’t kill my boy. I did. Every round in the gun is your responsibility.

"When it fires you need to stand to account for it. That’s what I’ve spent the last two days doing, accounting for my operating error.

"We wanted our kids to be aware of guns. I wanted them to be comfortable around them and understand them"

Mr Brumby said his son "had a heart that was bigger than he was" and was "as sweet and generous as they come".

He has vowed to continue using guns and keeping them at home, saying of the fatal accident: "It was a very freak accident. I made a mistake."